MJ to have knee surgery, future unknown
Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Michael Jordan will have surgery on his injured right knee and his status for the rest of the season is uncertain, Washington Wizards coach Doug Collins said Tuesday.

Jordan was placed on the injured list for only the second time in his career, meaning he will miss at least five games, starting with Wednesday night’s home game against Portland.

KRT Campus Eastern Conference All-Star Michael Jordan dunks during the NBA All-Star game Sunday in Philadelphia. Jordan will be placed on the injured list by the Washington Wizards and may be out for the entire season with a knee injury.

“Michael has decided to have an arthroscopic procedure. It will be done in the next couple of days,” Collins said. “Michael is very disappointed.”

As Collins spoke, Jordan was meeting with team physician Dr. Stephen Haas, who will operate.

“He’s got to go in there and just find out what’s causing the irritation and why his knee is continuing to swell,” Collins said. “And depending on how much work he has to do, that will be the deciding factor in how long Michael will be out.”

Jordan’s only previous major injury came in 1985, when he broke his left foot and missed 64 games in his second season with the Chicago Bulls. Other than his two retirements, he has not missed more than four games in a season since, and he didn’t miss any during his final three years in Chicago.

Kwame Brown, the overall No. 1 pick in the NBA draft straight out of high school last June, was activated to take the 39-year-old Jordan’s spot on the roster. Brown went on the injured list two weeks ago with a pulled hamstring and strained left calf.

Jordan’s knee has been giving him problems since he began workouts in preparation for his second comeback. The injury initially was diagnosed as tendinitis, and he had fluid drained from the knee at least three times, most recently before a game at Miami on Saturday. He also banged the knee in a collision with teammate Etan Thomas 2 weeks ago.

Team officials are now concerned there might be a more chronic, arthritic condition in the knee.

“I think (the surgery) would give him hope for next year,” Collins said. “I think he knows that if he didn’t have this done, he wouldn’t be able to continue to play. More and more, the swelling is coming back. There’s something in there that’s irritating his knee to make him have the swelling.”

The injury has caused Jordan to miss two games already this season — at San Antonio on Dec. 4, and at Detroit last Wednesday.

Jordan was not available for comment, but his remarks and his one-dimensional play in recent days made it clear that his knee was hurting. He has been unable to drive to the basket with his usual vigor, and he took himself out of Saturday’s game against the Heat with 6:27 to go — and the outcome still in doubt.

“I’m getting old,” he said after the game. “It’s a sign that this might be coming to a closure as to where my career is heading. The body sends you messages, and tonight my body won.”

Jordan had to overcome broken ribs, back spasms and tendinitis in his wrist to make this comeback. He also lost about 30 pounds.

Jordan’s surgery couldn’t come at worse time for the Wizards, who have lost five straight and seven of eight since the All-Star break, dropping to 27-28.

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